9.02.2010

butter 'n Bible

Posted for the first time in a loooong time over here.  Although we strive to eat for good health, I admit, I'm a sucker for anything with the word "butter" in it...those southern roots run deep y'all!   Butter....buttermilk...butterfinger...well you get the picture.  ;) 

Tonight we had this delicious meal for our weekly breakfast-for-dinner night. 

Buttermilk Pancakes-with homemade butter syrup.  'Nuff said. 

Reviews:
Dan:  "These are the best pancakes I've ever eaten."
Graham:  "Oh Mom, can you make these pancakes again and again and again?!"
Hannah Reece:  *silent chewing*   This is the highest compliment from our picky, squirmy little eater.

So now your wondering (and so am I) Bible???

On Friday, Dan's taking his LAST of 5 ordination exams required by our denomination for ordination.   It is the Bible Content Exam.   He's been taking exams online from previous years for practice.  For fun/torture I decided to accept his invitation to try one of the 100 question exams to see how much I really know about the Bible...aaaaannnd....let's just say, without mentioning any scores....I was humbled.  My Old Testament knowledge STINKS!  So my goal is to read through the Old Testament (in my New Living Translation Bible which helps my pea brain understand things a little better) by Easter.  There, I wrote it out loud.   Now y'all can hold me accountable.  :)

9.01.2010

Buttermilk Pancakes with Butter Syrup

All I can say is yum.  Yum. Yum. Yum.  It's just too bad that I don't have a picture of the finished product...oh that's right, it's because we inhaled the finished product!  ;)


BEST BUTTERMILK PANCAKES


via Becky Higgins, via Martha Stewart
[ Makes nine 6-inch pancakes-or 12 4-inch ones in my case ]

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 c. buttermilk

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle

Heat griddle to 375 degrees (on my electric cooktop lowish-medium). Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. Heat oven to 175 degrees (for keeping the finished pancakes warm). Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess. Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve warm.

Says Martha’s people: “The key to fluffy pancakes is not to overmix the batter; it should not be beaten smooth. If serving these pancakes with bacon, reserve half a teaspoon of bacon drippings to grease the griddle instead of butter.”

And the tasty syrup (or yellow syrup as my children call it)

BUTTER SYRUP


1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 stick butter

1 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda


Melt together whipping cream, butter and sugar over low heat. Slowly increase heat until the mixture barely comes to a boil. Add vanilla & baking soda. (Be careful on this part, because the baking soda makes it foam up to almost overflowing within seconds if you don't remove from heat quickly.  I had to make a break for the sink to catch the overflow!) Turn off heat while whisking continually until ready to serve.

Reviews:
"These are the best pancakes I've ever eaten."

"Oh Mom, can you make these pancakes again and again and again?!"
*silent chewing* This is the highest compliment from our picky, squirmy little eater.

When a Man Loves a Woman

He will move a tree (twice) to center it up *just* right...so that his woman won't drive herself crazy thinking about how the tree is slightly off-center every time she looks out the window.

Thankfully, my man's fully aware and has accepted the fact that I've got issues. :)

This tree is a baby Royal Poinciana...we hope one day it will be fully grown and gloriously red like this one in full bloom :

8.31.2010

What's for dinner?

Toes? 

 Camille enjoyed her first ever taste of babyfood tonight.  She loved it!  She is our first babe to willingly drink milk out of a bottle- and tonight-our first to lick her lips and reach for more baby food on the first try.  As daddy suggested, maybe she inherited grandpa's appetite along with those adorable dimples!

With each baby those "recommendations" at the pediatrician change.  These days, they do not recommend cereal as baby's first food.  First up for baby girl...pears!  Millie ate about one tablespoon (total) and started shivering after several bites to let us know she'd had enough. 
Big sister jumped right in with bib and a ready scooper. She's been waiting for this moment for like...five and a half months! ;)

 

8.30.2010

Wonderfully Made



Hannah Reece has always been REAL sweet on her daddy.  For a while, she couldn't even spare a kiss for me!  "No kisses for you, Momma, only for Daddy"

Well, lately...all that has changed.  ;)  Now she is momma's girl.   I'm getting so many hugs and kisses I've got a few extras to share with her Daddy, too! 

Hannah Reece will start preschool in just a few weeks, sniffle sniffle.  Lately, when she gives me big squeezes I say..."you better not go to preschool...I might miss you way too much!"  To which she usually replies, "momma, I have to go to school, yes-I'm going!" accompanied by more giggles and kisses. 

Today, during our little hug time I said, "could you just stop growing, girl? You are growing up WAY too fast!  I need you to stay little forever and ever." To which she replied "Momma, I can't help it....Jesus is making me grow!  :)  He is making me healthy and strong and when I get bigger I can be a Mom just like YOU."   Yes, sweet girl, and you are fearfully and WONDERFULLY made!  I love you, Hannah Reece!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.  Psalm 139:14 NIV

8.28.2010

Happy Baby

Our Miss Millie is one happy girl.  She rarely cries...and when she does it's usually for one of three reasons-hungry, sleepy or poopy.   In this season of upheaval...this gift of an easy-going baby is a demonstration of God's grace to us!  ;)    At five months and three weeks old Camille:

  • has settled into a little schedule-which has been slightly interrupted by big brother's school schedule recently.  She naps 2-3 times a day: 8ish, 11ish and 4ish.
  • sleeps from 7pm-7am, waking once to nurse around 5am-even when she wakes up more often, I can't wait to go see that sweet little face smiling up at me  :)
  • is usually covered in drool...she's teething (no chompers just yet!)
  • searches the ground for Charly when we walk in the front door...and giggles when she spots her  :) she gets so excited when Charly walks by and kisses her toes. (yuck!)
  • is immensly entertained by her brother and sister...maybe that's why she's so happy all of the time....constant entertainment!  
  • gives big slobby open mouth kisses (my favorite!) and snuggy hugs 
  • chatters loudly and with inflection...so opinionated...she'll fit right in  ;)
  • finally found her thumb this month after 4 long months of searching
  • nurses about every 3ish hours
  • still happy at doctor visits (for now!) 
  • scrunches her nose up when she grins  :)
  • has a favorite plaything...her feet 
  • is starting to endure the carseat without too many tears :)
  • is a petite little thing, she wears size 3-6 months in clothing.  Brother and sister were well into 6-9 months clothing at this age.
  • is content to sit in the bouncy seat or highchair for about 25 minutes while I clean up the kitchen or fold  a load of laundry....this is so helpful!  Trying to sit up on herown when reclined in the bouncy seat, so I think we'll have to retire that piece of baby gear soon.
  • is super sweet on Daddy.
  • learned to flip from tummy to back and back to side
  • soothes herself to sleep
  • enjoys hanging in the pool with Daddy 
  • has a case of stranger anxiety and frets when momma's out of sight
  • flashes those big blue peepers and gummy smile...melts me every time!



Worn out from all of that wild jumping ;)


Millie Grace...sweet, sweet face

8.25.2010

memory makin'

A big first grader,

this energetic *almost* four year old,

one fuzzy-headed angel baby,

our dern mutt....er, I mean beloved lizard-wranglin' pet,

and many, many house projects


are filling our days....and nights...

time to hang on and enjoy the ride!  :)